A cervical collar, also known as a neck brace, is a medical device commonly used to support a person's neck. It is also used by emergency personnel for those who have had traumatic head or neck injuries. For example, whenever people have a traumatic head or neck injury, they may have a cervical fracture. This makes them at high risk for spinal cord injury, which could be exacerbated by movement of the person and could lead to paralysis or death. A common scenario for this injury would be a person suspected of having whiplash because of a car accident. In order to prevent further injury, such people may have a collar placed by medical professionals until X-rays can be taken to determine if a cervical spine fracture exists. The cervical collar may only stabilize the top seven vertebrae, C1 through C7.
Cervical collars are also commonly used to treat chronic medical conditions. For example, cervical collars may be used therapeutically to help realign the spinal cord and relieve pain, although they are usually not worn for long periods of time. Another use of the cervical collar is for strains, sprains or whiplash. If pain is persistent, the collar might be required to remain attached to help in the healing process. A person may also need a cervical collar or may require a halo fixation device to support the neck during recovery after surgery such as cervical spinal fusion.
Cervical collars typically come in two known forms, a soft collar and a rigid collar. A soft collar is flexible and is the least limiting, but can carry a high risk of further breakage, especially in people with osteoporosis. It can be used for minor injuries or after healing has allowed the neck to become more stable. A range of manufactured rigid collars are also used, usually comprising a firm plastic bi-valved shell secured with Velcro straps and removable padded liners. All of these cervical collars can be used with additional chest and head extension pieces to increase stability.
All the uses of these known cervical collars, whether soft or hard, are almost always limited to just stabilizing the neck and restricting certain movements. However, it may be desirable to utilize the cervical collar for other purposes. The instant disclosure recognizes that one of these purposes may be making the neck taller by applying a constant upward push force at the lower jaw and base of skull via a collar positioned around the neck to cause a stretch and elongation of the neck structures, and may provide benefits, such as elongation of the neck if it is worn for a long enough total used time. And another purpose that is recognized by the instant disclosure may be to provide relief of a muscle spasm and alleviate the pain of a cervical spine disc or pinched nerve by applying a constant upward push force at the lower jaw and base of skull to cause stretching of neck muscle, thus, increasing the spaces between cervical vertebrae and relieving the pressure on the pinched nerve to alleviate the pain. In theory, you can potentially elongate any live organ such as tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerves and vessels by applying a constant pull, or stretch, which will enhance tissue growth, therefore, causing the live tissue to accommodate with the direction of the force (vector) and to grow in the direction of the applied force. This theory has been harnessed successfully in lower extremities by orthopedic surgeons to lengthen the legs. The same principles may apply in different methods, like for the correction of teeth alignments, as in orthodontic dentistry.
Accordingly, the instant disclosure may recognize the discovery that applying a constant upward push force or forces to the lower jaw and base of skull via a collar positioned around the neck to cause a stretch and elongation of the neck structures, and may provide benefits, such as the relief of muscle spasm of the neck, and alleviating the pain caused by a cervical spine disc or a pinched nerve. As another example, the instant disclosure may recognize that applying a constant upward push force or forces to the lower jaw and base of skull via a collar positioned around the neck may also prevent shortening of the neck in older adults with osteoporosis which causes decrease in the height and thickness of the cervical vertebrae. As yet another example, the instant disclosure may recognize that applying a constant upward push force or forces to the lower jaw and base of skull via a collar positioned around the neck to cause a stretch of the neck muscle may relieve muscle spasm of the neck. Therefore the instant disclosure may recognize the clear need for a new improved cervical collar device that may provide two immediate benefits such as a relief of muscle spasm of the neck and alleviation of pain caused by cervical disc or pinched nerve in the neck. In addition, it may provide a long term benefit by promoting elongation and lengthening of the neck if used for long enough total used time.
The instant disclosure of a cervical collar device for providing a constant upward push force to the lower jaw and base of skull via a collar positioned around the neck may be designed to address at least certain aspects of the problems and/or discoveries discussed above.